Risk: A Military Stepbrother Bad Boy Romance Read Online Free Page B

I catch you out with anyone, I’m going to beat them to within an inch of their lives. I’m not going to touch you, but I’m going to make your friends’ lives a living hell. The guys who give you booze, who drive you around—Dakota, listen to me.”
     
    I took her face in my hand, holding her by her cheeks.
     
    “I will end them. No one is going to want to hang out with you. They will be scared shitless.”
     
    “You’re a fucking asshole. You can’t beat up anyone.”
     
    “That’s right. I’m a fucking asshole,” I whispered. “And I’ve seen people way meaner and scarier than anything this shit hole of a town can even fathom. And do you know what I did to them, Dakota?”
     
    By now, Dakota didn’t have an answer.
     
    “I killed them. And the Marines gave me medals for it. I’m not proud of it, but don’t you think for a second that your dealer or whatever scares me. I’m the one who scares him. He doesn’t even know it yet, but I’m his worst fucking nightmare.”
     
    Dakota’s eyes were wide. She looked like the child she was. Good.
     
    “Now, go downstairs and have some of the lasagna my mom made. I bet she’ll still warm it up for you. And then go to bed, because you have school tomorrow.”
     
    “I hate you.”
     
    “I don’t care,” I replied with a shrug as I turned and left, shooting a grin at Sarah as I did so.
     

 
    SARAH
     
    Shivers. Shivers, up and down my spine as I watched Damien lay down the law. I wished to god he had come home sooner.
     
    “That was incredible,” I whispered to him as I followed him down the hall, back to our rooms.
     
    “She’s a kid,” he said with a shrug. “She’ll always do dumb things like that, but you’ve got to start somewhere.”
     
    “Those things you said about… You know… The war… Is that true?” I asked, biting my lip.
     
    My brother nodded.
     
    “Wow. I’ve never met anyone who…”
     
    He turned on me. We were in the hall now, between our rooms. He was close to me and I could feel his heat, not too far from me. Feel it warming me. Feeling it driving me wild.
     
    What the hell was wrong with me? Why the hell was I… Getting turned on by my stepbrother?
     
    He was just so goddamned… What’s the word they use in romance novels… Alpha.
     
    “Killed someone?” he asked, jerking me out of my reverie. I nodded nervously, my hands and fingers shaking in spite of myself. He took my hands in his and held them.
     
    “Yeah…” I breathed, almost unable to control my shaking. “Yeah. Killed someone.”
     
    “You don’t know that. There’s lots of killers out there. Most of them just probably aren’t as honest as I am.”
     
    “Maybe you’re right…”
     
    An awkward silence settled over us. I took a deep breath. Today had been way too wild.
     
    “Well, the first day of school is tomorrow so I guess I’ll get ready for bed…” I started to say.
     
    Damien shot me an easy grin.
     
    “That’s good. Set a good example for your sister.”
     
    Even if that’s what I was doing, I was just as eager to get attention from my brother… As much as I was embarrassed to admit it.
     
    The next morning, my alarm rang like an absolutely and totally unwelcome reminder of the real world. As I forced myself from my sleep, I heard the tell-tale sound of the shower going down the hall.
     
    Dakota was never up as early as I was. Maybe she had decided to shape up and fly straight finally this year? Or maybe…
     
    The memories of the day before came flooding back into my mind. My estranged step-brother, back in our lives. Dinner. God, he was handsome. The way he talked to Dakota.
     
    And now he was down the hall showering?
     
    I bit my lip. I felt, desperately, like sneaking into the bathroom to join him but I knew that was horrible. God, how had I turned into such a horn dog all of a sudden? I had never been like this before—never been salivating over a boy, let alone my brother, just because he’s